Fathering and Furthering Faith:

The Spirit’s Work on Pentecost and Today

The History and Significance of Pentecost

The Festival of Pentecost which we are observing today — sometimes known as “The Birthday of the Christian Church” — commemorates Christ’s sending of the Holy Spirit upon the early Church. It occurred fifty days after the Resurrection of Christ. Even before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the day of Pentecost (the name is Greek for “50″) was an important day in the hearts of God’s Old Testament people. Approximately 1400 years prior to Christ’s incarnation, faithful Jews observed it as “the Festival of Weeks” (Ex 34:22; Deut 16:10) making use of this occasion to thank God for His gift of the early wheat harvest (cf Leviticus 23:15).

Incidentally, the other designation for this day is the traditional title of “Whitsunday,” an old English term associated with the white garments customarily worn on Pentecost Sunday by those about to be baptized into the membership of the Church. The early church’s practice of including the Sacrament of Baptism as a regular part of its Pentecost celebration was intended, in part, to commemorate the reception of 3000 souls into the Holy Christian Church on the first Pentecost (which will be recounted in today’s opening Scripture Lesson, Acts 2).

Pentecost, as a Christian festival, dates back (obviously) to the first century although we have no concrete record of its formal observance until the early 3rd century (a reference in I Corinthians 16: 8 probably is connected to the Jewish, rather than Christian, observance of Pentecost). The liturgical color of the altar paraments and clerical vestments is red, the color for the Church, and symbolizes the love of the Holy Ghost or of the tongues of fire. On Pentecost in Italy it has been the custom to scatter rose leaves from the ceiling of the churches to recall the miracle of the fiery tongues; hence in Sicily and elsewhere in Italy, Pentecost is called “Pascha rosatum.” The custom in France is to blow trumpets during worship, to recall the sound of the mighty wind which accompanied the Arrival of the Holy Spirit.

Today’s Scripture Lessons

Our worship service today is especially dedicated to praising the Holy Spirit for His work of bringing people to faith and keeping them in the one true faith. Recognizing that He does this faith-imparting and faith-strengthening work through “The Means of Grace,” that is – the Gospel of forgiveness and salvation as conveyed to us in the Inspired Word of God and as applied to us in the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, it is fitting for us to go for our Spiritual growth to the Word as the centerpiece of our service today. Accordingly…..

Our Opening Scripture Lesson on this Pentecost Day is Luke’s inspired (and, most likely, eyewitness) account, found in Acts 2, of the Spirit’s dramatic coming with power to the Church in Jerusalem on that first Pentecost, roughly 1990 years ago.

In this morning’s Children’s Lesson we’ll use a pair of eyeglasses as an example of how the Holy Spirit works in us, giving us faith so that we can “see” the truth about God, about ourselves, and about how we have been saved through the redeeming work of Jesus Christ.

Today’s Old Testament Lesson relates the story of Moses’ being overwhelmed by the burdens of leading Israel, particularly of dealing with their complaints. The Lord’s solution was to pour out the Holy Spirit on some of Israel’s elders so that they might assist Moses in serving and guiding the nation. 1400 years later, in an even more dramatic way, God again poured out His Spirit on His Church to equip its members for service to Him.

Our Gospel Lesson presents Jesus promising His disciples that He will send them another Counselor (the Holy Spirit) who will be with them forever once He returns to heaven. Note in the closing verses one of the reasons for our certainty regarding the plenary (full) inspiration of the Scriptures: the Spirit “will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”

Finally, this morning’s Sermon is based on a message God gave to the prophet Ezekiel, who served the Jewish people during the time of their exile in Babylon….as a discipline from the LORD for their prior idolatrous, unbelieving ways. In spite of their earlier history of dishonoring His name, God told His people He intended to act graciously toward them. He intended to bring them back from their exile to their homeland. He would cleanse them of their sin and use them once more to bring honor and glory to His name. He was going to give them renewed hearts and minds, and would put His Holy Spirit in them in order to accomplish this, enabling them once again to be His people and allowing them to enjoy a faith-relationship with Him.

Pre-Service Prayer – O Heavenly Father, please guide me in wisdom and truth through Your Holy Spirit, as I spend this hour meditating on Your Word and rejoicing in Your limitless love for me. Assist me in being attentive in heart and mind to Your Word, as well as to the hymns of praise, the various petitions, and the prayers of thanksgiving my voice directs toward You. Use this worship service, O Lord, to deepen my love for You, to strengthen my trust in You, and to renew my commitment to You. All this I ask for the sake of and in the name of Your One and only Son, Jesus Christ, my Savior. Amen.

All Scripture Quotations in this worship flyer have been taken, with permission, from

Prayer upon entering the sanctuary

Pre-service Music

We Praise Our God

The Introduction and Invitation to Worship

The Opening Lesson for the Festival of Pentecost Acts 2:1-47

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the rushing of a violent wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw divided tongues that were like fire resting on each one of them. 4 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, since the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak fluently.

5 Now there were godly Jewish men from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 When this sound was heard, a crowd came together and was confused, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 They were completely baffled and said to each other, “Look, are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them speaking in his own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, and of Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt, and the parts of Libya around Cyrene; visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes; 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring in our own languages the wonderful works of God.” 12 They were all amazed and perplexed. They kept saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocked them and said, “They are full of new wine.”

14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and spoke loudly and clearly to them: “Men of Judea, and all you residents of Jerusalem, understand this, and listen closely to my words. 15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day. 16 On the contrary, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

17 This is what God says will happen in the last days: I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh.

Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the sky above,

and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and a rising cloud of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And this will happen: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

22 “Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus the Nazarene was a man recommended to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know. 23 This man, who was handed over by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, you killed by having lawless men nail him to a cross. 24 He is the one God raised up by freeing him from the agony of death, because death was not able to hold him in its grip.

25 “Indeed, David says concerning him: I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced. My flesh also will rest in hope, 27 because you will not abandon my life to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life. You will fill me with joy in your presence.

29 “Gentlemen, brothers, I can speak confidently to you about the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Since he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath that he would seat one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he saw what was coming and spoke about the resurrection of Christ, saying that he was neither abandoned to the grave nor did his flesh see decay.

32 “This Jesus is the one God has raised up. We are all witnesses of that. 33 So, after he was exalted to the right hand of God and after he received the promised Holy Spirit from the Father, he poured out what you are now seeing and hearing.

34 “For David did not ascend into heaven, and yet he says: The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, 35 until I make your enemies a footstool under your feet.’

36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

37 Now when the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Gentlemen, brothers, what should we do?”

38 Peter answered them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

40 He testified solemnly with many other words and was appealing to them, saying, “Escape from this crooked generation.”

41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added.

42 They continued to hold firmly to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of the bread, and to the prayers. 43 Awe came over every soul,[n] and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They were selling their possessions and property and were distributing the proceeds according to what anyone needed.

46 Day after day, with one mind, they were devoted to meeting in the temple area, as they continued to break bread in their homes. They shared their food with glad and sincere hearts, 47 as they continued praising God and being viewed favorably by all the people. Day after day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

The Opening Hymn Hymn 188 “Creator, Spirit, By Whose Aid”

1 Creator Spirit, by whose aid The world’s foundations first were laid,

Come, visit ev’ry humble mind; Come, pour Your joys on humankind;

From sin and sorrow set us free; May we Your living temples be.

2 O Source of light, our Counselor, The Father’s help to us assure,

Come down as promised with your fire, And hearts by heavenly love inspire.

Your sacred, healing message bring To sanctify us when we sing.

3 Giver of grace, descend from high; In answer to our earnest cry.

Help us eternal truths receive And practice all that we believe;

Give us Your wisdom that we see The glory of the Trinity.

4 Immortal honor, endless fame Attend the almighty Father’s name;

The Savior-Son be glorified, Who for all humankind has died;

And equal adoration rise to You, O Spirit, in the skies.

After which the Congregation will rise for

The Invocation

Pastor We begin this service in the name of the Father

Congregation Who gave us our lives through His almighty power.

P: And of the Son

C: Who redeemed our lives with His precious blood.

P: And in the name of the Holy Spirit

C: Who gave us eternal life through faith in Christ Jesus.

P: Amen.

We Make Confession Of Our Sins To God

Pastor We have come together in the presence of God, our Heavenly Father, who created us to love and serve Him as His dear children. But We have disobeyed Him through our thoughts, words, and actions, and deserve only His wrath and punishment. Therefore, let us now turn to Him, acknowledging our sinfulness and seeking His forgiveness for all our sins. In the words of Jeremiah, we confess:

Congregation Although our sins testify against us, O LORD, do something for the sake of Your name. For our backsliding is great; we have sinned against You.

Pastor In the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, we acknowledge how thoroughly sin fills our lives, even our very being:

Congregation From within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy slander, arrogance, and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.’

Pastor Along with the Apostle John, we recognize:

Congregation If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Pastor And in the words of David, before the Lord we plead:

Congregation I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are proved right when You speak and justified when You judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

Pastor Jesus says to His people: “If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven.” Our Savior’s perfect life and sacrificial death have paid for the guilt and penalty of our sins, and for the sins of the whole world. Do you believe this?

Congregation Yes, I believe this.

Pastor Then be assured that you are a dear child of God and an heir of everlasting life. And carrying out my office as a called servant of Christ, and according to His command and authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. May the peace of God rest upon all of you. Amen.

Congregation Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow”

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

The Prayer for Today (offered by the Pastor)

O Almighty God, bless the preaching of Your Word among the congregation of believers on earth. Bless us with the gift of the Holy Spirit to make us wise unto salvation through faith in Christ, to equip us for faithful service to You to fill us with joy that service, and to strengthen our faith through Your Word and Sacraments that we might remain in the true Christian faith as long as we live. We ask this in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. + Amen.

after which the Congregation may be seated for

We Hear God’s Word

The Sequence Hymn Hymn 176 “Come Holy Ghost, God and Lord” verse 1

Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord, May all graces be outpoured

On each believer’s mind and heart; Your fervent love to them impart.

Lord, by the brightness of Your light In holy faith Your Church unite.

From ev’ry land and ev’ry tongue; This to Your praise, O Lord, be sung.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

The Children’s Lesson John 3:3

Unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God

“The Holy Spirit Makes It Possible

For Us To SEE the Truth”

The Congregation anticipates the Old Testament Lesson by singing

The Sequence Hymn Hymn 176 “Come Holy Ghost, God and Lord” verse 2

Come holy Light, Guide Divine, And cause the Word of Life to shine;

Teach us to know our God aright And call Him Father with delight.

From every error keep us free Let none but Christ our Master be

That we in living faith abide, In Him, our Lord, with all our might confide.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

The Old Testament Lesson Numbers 11, selected verses

The people were complaining about their hardships so that the Lord heard it. When the Lord heard it, his anger burned. So the Lord’s fire burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. 2 The people cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the Lord. So the fire died down. 3 They named that place Taberah, because the Lord’s fire burned among them.

4 The foreign rabble who were among the Israelites were overcome by their craving. The Israelites also wept once again and said, “Who is going to give us meat to eat? 5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt free of charge, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. 6 But now our lives are wasting away. We have nothing at all to look at except this manna.” …….

10 Moses heard people from all the clans weeping, each one at the entrance to his own tent. At the same time, the Lord’s anger burned fiercely, and Moses was displeased. 11 Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you treated your servant so badly? Why have I not found favor in your eyes? Why do you put the burden of all these people on me? 12 Did I conceive all these people by myself? Am I the one who gave birth to them so that you tell me to carry them in my arms to the land which you swore to their fathers, just as a woman who is nursing carries a baby? 13 Where is there meat for me to give to all these people? Listen, they are weeping to me and saying, ‘Give us meat so that we can eat.’ 14 I am not able to carry all these people by myself, because that is too much for me. 15 If you are going to treat me this way, please kill me right now. If I have found favor in your eyes, do not let me see my own ruin.”

16 So the Lord said to Moses, “Gather seventy men from the elders of Israel for me, men whom you know to be elders and officers for the people. Take them to the Tent of Meeting and make them stand there with you. 17 I will come down and talk with you there. I will take from the Spirit that is on you and will put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it by yourself. ……….24 Moses went out and told the people the Lord’s words. He gathered seventy men from the elders of the people and had them stand all around the tent. 25 The Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him. He took from the Spirit that was on Moses and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they did not do it again. 26 Two men, however, remained in the camp. The name of one was Eldad, and the name of the other was Medad. They were listed among the elders, but they had not gone out to the tent. The Spirit rested on them, and they prophesied back in the camp. 27 A young man ran and reported this to Moses. He said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!” 28 Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide from his youth, answered, “My Lord Moses, stop them!” 29 Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? If only all of the Lord’s people were prophets so that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” 30 Then Moses returned to the camp along with the elders of Israel.

The Congregation anticipates the Gospel Lesson by singing

The Sequence Hymn Hymn 176 “Come Holy Ghost, God and Lord” verse 3

Come holy Fire, Comfort true; Grant us the will Your work to do.

And in Your service to abide Let trials turn us not aside.

Lord, by Your pow’r prepare each heart, To our weakness strength impart

That bravely here we may contend, Through life and death to You, Our Lord ascend.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

after which the Congregation will rise out of respect for the words of our Savior to hear

The Gospel Lesson John 14:15-26

15 “If you love me, hold on to my commands. 16 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. 17 He is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see him or know him. You know him because he stays with you and will be in you.

18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you. 19 In a little while the world will see me no longer, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 The one who has my commands and holds on to them is the one who loves me. And the one who loves me will be loved by my Father. I too will love him and show myself to him.”

22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, what has happened that you are going to show yourself to us and not to the world?”

23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will hold on to my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 The one who does not love me does not hold on to my words. The word that you are hearing is not mine, but it is from the Father who sent me.

25 “I have told you these things while staying with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I told you.

The Confession of our Luther’s Explanation to the Third

Faith in God the Holy Spirit Article of the Apostles’ Creed)

Cong: I believe in the Holy Ghost; the Holy Christian Church, the Communion of Saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; And the life everlasting. Amen.

Pastor:“What does this mean?”

All: I know that I cannot, by my own thinking or choosing, + believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to Him. + But the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel; +

enlightened me with His gifts, + sanctified and kept me in the one true faith. + In the same way, + He calls, gathers, enlightens, + and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, + and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. + In this Christian Church, + He daily and fully forgives all sins, to me and all believers in Christ. + On the last day He will raise me and all the dead; + And He will give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ. + This is most certainly true! + Amen.

After which the Congregation will be seated for

The Hymn of the Day Hymn 181 “Come, O Come, Life-Giving Spirit”

Come, oh, come, life-giving Spirit, God from all eternity!

May your power never fail us; Dwell within us constantly.

Then shall truth and life and light Banish all the gloom of night.

With our spirit, Lord, bear witness That we are the saints of God

Who rely upon him solely When we’re chastened by the rod;

For we know, as children should, That the cross is for our good.

Grant our hearts in fullest measure Wisdom, counsel, purity,

That we always strive to please you, Working for you willingly.

Let the gospel spread and grow, Bringing Satan’s overthrow.

after which the Congregation will REMAIN SEATED for

The Greeting Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ! O Lord, open my lips, that my mouth may declare Your praise. Amen.

The Sermon Text based on Ezekiel 36:22-28

22 Therefore, say this to the house of Israel. This is what the Lord God says. I am about to act, O house of Israel, not for your sake, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you have gone. 23 I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when I reveal myself as holy in front of their eyes through you. 24 I will take you from among the nations. I will gather you from all the lands, and I will bring you to your own soil. 25 I will sprinkle purifying water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurity and from all your filthy idols.

26 Then I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit inside you. I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put my Spirit within you and will cause you to walk in my statutes, and you will carefully observe my ordinances. 28 Then you will live in the land I gave your fathers. You will be my people, and I will be your God.

We Rejoice in the Work of the Holy Spirit

Who Calls Us II. Who Cleanses Us III. Who Creates and Sustains Faith in Us

following the sermon the Congregation will rise for

The Blessing To Him Who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy — to the only God, our Savior, be glory, majesty, power, and authority…now and forever. Amen.

We Offer Our Gifts to the Lord

We Bring Our Offerigs to the Lord

Because we aren’t able to pass an offering plate today during today’s

worship service those in attendance may leave their offerings

in the offering plates by the exit door at the close of our service today.

For those watching today’s service, we offer you the following suggestions for providing God with Your thank-offerings through our ministry:

1) You can send a check (no cash) in the mail to the church address

(415 N. 6^th Place, Lowell, AR 72745)

2) You can go online to our website (www.gracelutherannwa.com)

and use the giving option there.

Give Online

We Bring Our Prayers Before the Lord

The Prayers for this Day –

Included in our prayers this morning are prayers of thanks and continued intercession for Janet Milas and Kayla Kattestad, who both had surgical procedures this past week,

and who are recovering from those operations.

We also offer prayers of thanksgiving for the following couples with anniversaries this week:

Peter and Rachel Strackbein (Monday); Charles and Debbie Huebner (Tuesday);

Tim and Dianne Pfortmiller (Friday); and Zak and Elissa Ferguson (Saturday)

A Special Litany Prayer on this Festival Sunday

P Eternal God, by the power of the Holy Spirit we confess You to be the one true God.

Accept our thanks today for Your Spirit’s work in our lives. Help us daily to rely upon the Spirit’s important work of teaching, rebuking, reminding, and comforting. Grant us Your Spirit, O Lord,